THE EPISTLE OF POLYCARP TO THE PHILIPPIANS.316
Polycarp, and the presbyters317 with him, to the church of God sojourning at Philippi: Mercy to you, and peace from God Almighty, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, be multiplied.
CHAP. I.—_Praise of the Philippians._
I have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because ye have followed the example318 of true love [as displayed by God], and have accompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fitting ornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect of God and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken of in days319 long gone by, endureth even until now, and bringeth forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] “whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave.”320 “In whom, though now ye see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;”321 into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that “by grace ye are saved, not of works,”322 but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.
CHAP. II.—_An exhortation to virtue._
“Wherefore, girding up your loins,”323 “serve the Lord in fear”324 and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and “believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory,”325 and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things326 in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead.327 His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him.328 But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise329 up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil-speaking, false-witness; “not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,”330 or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: “Judge not, that ye be not judged;331 forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you;332 be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy;333 with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;”334 and once more, “Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”335
CHAP. III.—_Expressions of personal unworthiness._
These things, brethren, I write to you concerning righteousness, not because I take anything upon myself, but because ye have invited me to do so. For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the wisdom336 of the blessed and glorified Paul. He, when among you, accurately and stedfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who were then alive. And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter,337 which, if you carefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in that faith which has been given you, and which, being followed by hope, and preceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our neighbour, “is the mother of us all.”338 For if any one be inwardly possessed of these graces, he hath fulfilled the command of righteousness, since he that hath love is far from all sin.
CHAP. IV.—_Various exhortations._
“But the love of money is the root of all evils.”339 Knowing, therefore, that “as we brought nothing into the world, so we can carry nothing out,”340 let us arm ourselves with the armour of righteousness;341 and let us teach, first of all, ourselves to walk in the commandments of the Lord. Next, [teach] your wives [to walk] in the faith given to them, and in love and purity tenderly loving their own husbands in all truth, and loving all [others] equally in all chastity; and to train up their children in the knowledge and fear of God. Teach the widows to be discreet as respects the faith of the Lord, praying continually342 for all, being far from all slandering, evil-speaking, false-witnessing, love of money, and every kind of evil; knowing that they are the altar343 of God, that He clearly perceives all things, and that nothing is hid from Him, neither reasonings, nor reflections, nor any one of the secret things of the heart.
CHAP. V.—_The duties of deacons, youths, and virgins._
Knowing, then, that “God is not mocked,”344 we ought to walk worthy of His commandment and glory. In like manner should the deacons be blameless before the face of His righteousness, as being the servants of God and Christ,345 and not of men. They must not be slanderers, double-tongued,346 or lovers of money, but temperate in all things, compassionate, industrious, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who was the servant347 of all. If we please Him in this present world, we shall receive also the future world, according as He has promised to us that He will raise us again from the dead, and that if we live348 worthily of Him, “we shall also reign together with Him,”349 provided only we believe. In like manner, let the young men also be blameless in all things, being especially careful to preserve purity, and keeping themselves in, as with a bridle, from every kind of evil. For it is well that they should be cut off from350 the lusts that are in the world, since “every lust warreth against the spirit;”351 and “neither fornicators, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God,”352 nor those who do things inconsistent and unbecoming. Wherefore, it is needful to abstain from all these things, being subject to the presbyters and deacons, as unto God and Christ. The virgins also must walk in a blameless and pure conscience.
CHAP. VI.—_The duties of presbyters and others._
And let the presbyters be compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always “providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and men;”353 abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unjust judgment; keeping far off from all covetousness, not quickly crediting [an evil report] against any one, not severe in judgment, as knowing that we are all under a debt of sin. If then we entreat the Lord to forgive us, we ought also ourselves to forgive;354 for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and “we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself.”355 Let us then serve Him in fear, and with all reverence, even as He Himself has commanded us, and as the apostles who preached the gospel unto us, and the prophets who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Lord [have alike taught us]. Let us be zealous in the pursuit of that which is good, keeping ourselves from causes of offence, from false brethren, and from those who in hypocrisy bear the name of the Lord, and draw away vain men into error.
CHAP. VII.—_Avoid the Docetæ, and persevere in fasting and prayer._
“For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist;”356 and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross,357 is of the devil; and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first-born of Satan. Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from358 the beginning; “watching unto prayer,”359 and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our supplications the all-seeing God “not to lead us into temptation,”360 as the Lord has said: “The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak.”361
CHAP. VIII.—_Persevere in hope and patience._
Let us then continually persevere in our hope, and the earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, “who bore our sins in His own body on the tree,”362 “who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth,”363 but endured all things for us, that we might live in Him.364 Let us then be imitators of His patience; and if we suffer365 for His name’s sake, let us glorify Him.366 For He has set us this example367 in Himself, and we have believed that such is the case.
CHAP. IX.—_Patience inculcated._
I exhort you all, therefore, to yield obedience to the word of righteousness, and to exercise all patience, such as ye have seen [set] before your eyes, not only in the case of the blessed Ignatius, and Zosimus, and Rufus, but also in others among yourselves, and in Paul himself, and the rest of the apostles. [This do] in the assurance that all these have not run368 in vain, but in faith and righteousness, and that they are [now] in their due place in the presence of the Lord, with whom also they suffered. For they loved not this present world, but Him who died for us, and for our sakes was raised again by God from the dead.
CHAP. X.—_Exhortation to the practice of virtue._369
Stand fast, therefore, in these things, and follow the example of the Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood,370 and being attached to one another, joined together in the truth, exhibiting the meekness of the Lord in your intercourse with one another, and despising no one. When you can do good, defer it not, because “alms delivers from death.”371 Be all of you subject one to another,372 “having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles,”373 that ye may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you. But woe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed!374 Teach, therefore, sobriety to all, and manifest it also in your own conduct.
CHAP. XI.—_Expression of grief on account of Valens._
I am greatly grieved for Valens, who was once a presbyter among you, because he so little understands the place that was given him [in the church]. I exhort you, therefore, that ye abstain from covetousness,375 and that ye be chaste and truthful. “Abstain from every form of evil.”376 For if a man cannot govern himself in such matters, how shall he enjoin them on others? If a man does not keep himself from covetousness, he shall be defiled by idolatry, and shall be judged as one of the heathen. But who of us are ignorant of the judgment of the Lord? “Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world?”377 as Paul teaches. But I have neither seen nor heard of any such thing among you, in the midst of whom the blessed Paul laboured, and who are commended378 in the beginning of his epistle. For he boasts of you in all those churches which alone then knew the Lord; but we [of Smyrna] had not yet known Him. I am deeply grieved, therefore, brethren, for him (Valens) and his wife; to whom may the Lord grant true repentance! And be ye then moderate in regard to this matter, and “do not count such as enemies,”379 but call them back as suffering and straying members, that ye may save your whole body. For by so acting ye shall edify yourselves.380
CHAP. XII.—_Exhortation to various graces._
For I trust that ye are well versed in the sacred Scriptures, and that nothing is hid from you; but to me this privilege is not yet granted.381 It is declared then in these Scriptures, “Be ye angry, and sin not,”382 and, “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”383 Happy is he who remembers384 this, which I believe to be the case with you. But may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself, who is the Son of God, and our everlasting High Priest, build you up in faith and truth, and in all meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, forbearance, and purity; and may He bestow on you a lot and portion among His saints, and on us with you, and on all that are under heaven, who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in His Father, who “raised Him from the dead.”385 Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings,386 and potentates, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you,387 and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest to all, and that ye may be perfect in Him.
CHAP. XIII.—_Concerning the transmission of epistles._
Both you and Ignatius388 wrote to me, that if any one went [from this] into Syria, he should carry your letter389 with him; which request I will attend to if I find a fitting opportunity, either personally, or through some other acting for me, that your desire may be fulfilled. The epistles of Ignatius written by him390 to us, and all the rest [of his epistles] which we have by us, we have sent to you, as you requested. They are subjoined to this epistle, and by them ye may be greatly profited; for they treat of faith and patience, and all things that tend to edification in our Lord. Any391 more certain information you may have obtained respecting both Ignatius himself, and those that were392 with him, have the goodness to make known393 to us.
CHAP. XIV.—_Conclusion._
These things I have written to you by Crescens, whom up to the present394 time I have recommended unto you, and do now recommend. For he has acted blamelessly among us, and I believe also among you. Moreover, ye will hold his sister in esteem when she comes to you. Be ye safe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with you all.395 Amen.
Footnote 316:
The title of this epistle in most of the MSS. is, “The Epistle of St Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, and holy martyr, to the Philippians.”
Footnote 317:
Or, “Polycarp, and those who with him are presbyters.”
Footnote 318:
Literally, “ye have received the patterns of true love.”
Footnote 319:
Phil. i. 5.
Footnote 320:
Acts ii. 24. Literally, “having loosed the pains of Hades.”
Footnote 321:
1 Pet. i. 8.
Footnote 322:
Eph. ii. 8, 9.
Footnote 323:
Comp. 1 Pet. i. 13; Eph. vi. 14.
Footnote 324:
Ps. ii. 11.
Footnote 325:
1 Pet. i. 21.
Footnote 326:
Comp. 1 Pet. iii. 22; Phil. ii. 10.
Footnote 327:
Comp. Acts xvii. 31.
Footnote 328:
Or, “who do not obey Him.”
Footnote 329:
Comp. 1 Cor. vi. 14; 2 Cor. iv. 14; Rom. viii. 11.
Footnote 330:
1 Pet. iii. 9.
Footnote 331:
Matt. vii. 1.
Footnote 332:
Matt. vi. 12, 14; Luke vi. 37.
Footnote 333:
Luke vi. 36.
Footnote 334:
Matt. vii. 2; Luke vi. 38.
Footnote 335:
Matt. v. 3, 10; Luke vi. 20.
Footnote 336:
Comp. 2 Pet. iii. 15.
Footnote 337:
The form is plural, but one epistle is probably meant.
Footnote 338:
Comp. Gal. iv. 26.
Footnote 339:
1 Tim. vi. 10.
Footnote 340:
1 Tim. vi. 7.
Footnote 341:
Comp. Eph. vi. 11.
Footnote 342:
Comp. 1 Thess. v. 17.
Footnote 343:
Some here read, “altars.”
Footnote 344:
Gal. vi. 7.
Footnote 345:
Some read, “God in Christ.”
Footnote 346:
Comp. 1 Tim. iii. 8.
Footnote 347:
Comp. Matt. xx. 28.
Footnote 348:
Πολιτευσώμεθα, referring to the whole conduct; comp. Phil. i. 27.
Footnote 349:
2 Tim. ii. 12.
Footnote 350:
Some read, ἀνακύπτεσθαι, “to emerge from.”
Footnote 351:
1 Pet. ii. 11.
Footnote 352:
1 Cor. vi. 9, 10.
Footnote 353:
Rom. xii. 17; 2 Cor. viii. 31.
Footnote 354:
Matt. vi. 12-14.
Footnote 355:
Rom. xiv. 10-12; 2 Cor. v. 10.
Footnote 356:
1 John iv. 3.
Footnote 357:
Literally, “the martyrdom of the cross,” which some render, “His suffering on the cross.”
Footnote 358:
Comp. Jude 3.
Footnote 359:
1 Pet. iv. 7.
Footnote 360:
Matt. vi. 13, xxvi. 41.
Footnote 361:
Matt. xxvi. 41; Mark xiv. 38.
Footnote 362:
1 Pet. ii. 24.
Footnote 363:
1 Pet. ii. 22.
Footnote 364:
Comp. 1 John iv. 9.
Footnote 365:
Comp. Acts v. 41; 1 Pet. iv. 16.
Footnote 366:
Some read, “we glorify Him.”
Footnote 367:
Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 21.
Footnote 368:
Comp. Phil. ii. 16; Gal. ii. 2.
Footnote 369:
This and the two following chapters are preserved only in a Latin version.
Footnote 370:
Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 17.
Footnote 371:
Tobit iv. 10, xii. 9.
Footnote 372:
Comp. 1 Pet. v. 5.
Footnote 373:
1 Pet. ii. 12.
Footnote 374:
Isa. lii. 5.
Footnote 375:
Some think that _incontinence_ on the part of Valens and his wife is referred to.
Footnote 376:
1 Thess. v. 22.
Footnote 377:
1 Cor. vi. 2.
Footnote 378:
Some read, “named;” comp. Phil. i. 5.
Footnote 379:
2 Thess. iii. 15.
Footnote 380:
Comp. 1 Cor. xii. 26.
Footnote 381:
This passage is very obscure. Some render it as follows: “But at present it is not granted unto me to practise that which is written, Be ye angry,” etc.
Footnote 382:
Ps. iv. 5.
Footnote 383:
Eph. iv. 26.
Footnote 384:
Some read, “believes.”
Footnote 385:
Gal. i. 1.
Footnote 386:
Comp. 1 Tim. ii. 2.
Footnote 387:
Matt. v. 44.
Footnote 388:
Comp. Ep. of Ignatius to Polycarp, chap. viii.
Footnote 389:
Or, “letters.”
Footnote 390:
Reference is here made to the two letters of Ignatius, one to Polycarp himself, and the other to the church at Smyrna.
Footnote 391:
Henceforth, to the end, we have only the Latin version.
Footnote 392:
The Latin version reads “are,” which has been corrected as above.
Footnote 393:
Polycarp was aware of the death of Ignatius (chap. ix.), but was as yet apparently ignorant of the circumstances attending it.
Footnote 394:
Some read, “in this present epistle.”
Footnote 395:
Others read, “and in favour with all yours.”